Emridy Meadows pain

Emridy Meadows is tough. I get killed there more often than anywhere else ... especially when skeleton crossbowmen begin rolling strings of critical hits. (5 in a row is the record count so far.) No one rolls more crits in the game, other than that %@&# Bandit Leader on the upper level of the Moat House.
In the past, I used Entangle and missile weapons, as many have suggested. But, my newest favorite tactic, useful at any level, is to draw the Giant into combat against the skeletons. Sneaking is useful to swipe both the items at the Giant's campsite and from the Rainbow Rock. Then, the challenge of luring the Giant and Brown bear toward the Skeleton priest and guardians is on. They usually wipe each other out, or at least get conveniently wounded to more manageable status for me.
Also, using the terrain is another great tactic for 1-2 lvl party/solo character. The Giant only attacks if you are in range, or if he can Charge (Hint: requires a straight line of approach), or if he's run out of skeletons to smash (he uses a blunt weapon and everything.)
Likewise, after using Sneak at Rainbow Rock to trigger the skeleton priest and guards, it is possible to sneak far enough out of range that combat mode ends. Then move very carefully until the enemies are within range one at a time. Use missiles to get the attention of one (only one), and back up. It will come charging into melee range and can be dealt with handily. Rinse and repeat.
So, lure the Giant into combat against the skeletons; and use the terrain to your advantage. (Lessons learned while playing PnP work well in video games sometimes.)

 

I'm (sort of) glad to hear it isn't just me that sees a disporportionate number of critical hits from skeletons on this map. I was just chalking it up to a larger number of attacks being made, but thinking about it, not even the huge bugbear melee in the Temple infilcts as many crits as Emridy Meadows.

 

Those are DEAD eye, (get it?) skellies.

I crack myself up sometimes.

 

Ping! there goes another rib

 

Can someone tell me where the Rainbow Rock is located? I've killed the giant and the brown bear and the assorted skeletons and zombies, but I can't find the rainbow rock. I remember when I first played ToEE years ago that it was somewhere in the center of the Meadow. I've tried using the Tab key to highlight it, but none of the boulders highlight. Can someone help or is this a bug?

 

Never mind. I found it after an hour of running around the meadow lol

 

Just two comments:
The holy sword that Filiken gives as a wedding present if you agree to marry his daughter Meleny in Hommlet is VERY effective against undead. You need to finish the whole Filiken/Carpenter/Barn/Culthbert Conversion quest arc first, as well as woo Meleny with a male PC having at least 16 charisma to get it though.


Also, you might as well pilfer the magic elf armor before taking on the skeletal priest at rainbow rock in emridy meadows. It's lying in full view on the ground near the Giant. How with a 2nd level party you may ask? Easy!

Hire Furnoc at the Welcome Wench Inn into your party and once in Emridy Meadows have him activate his Ring of Invisibility. Leave the rest of the party standing safely where they are, but have Furnoc invisibly solo-scout the south-western sector of the meadows.

Once he locates the Giant and Bear patrolling near the elven armor, have Furnoc position himself just to the left of the armor while still keeping invisible. Wait for the Giant to patrol out of view to the East, and for the Bear to turn his back on Furnoc while patrolling. Now quickly snatch the elf armor (in doing so, Furnoc becomes visible) and RUN to the west before the bear turns around and the Giant returns. Congratulations! Reactivate your invisibility ring and rejoin the party, giving the armor to a mage for identification. Return to Hommlet and kick Furnoc from the group!

Bonus: If Furnoc ends up dying somewhere in Emridy Meadows before he gets safely back to Hommlet, you get to keep his ring

 

Somehow he always seems to suffer a tragic accident when I hire him. Those darn dice

 

The precious! I wants it!